Mr. Harding said the curious part of Mr. Tregear's account was that these subjects should be influenced by any one; it was unlike mesmerism in this particular.

Mr. Travers gave instances of the hypnotic condition, which were very extraordinary. His impression was that a similar influence was exercised by the tohungas upon the Maoris. He thought that the general verdict was that hypnotism was a thing rather to be avoided than used.

Mr. Tregear, in reply, said the difference between mesmerism and hypnotism was that in the former the person was under the influence of a stronger will. This was only one stage, but when a person was under hypnotic influence he went through three stages, and, being under the influence of suggestion alone, was at the mercy of everybody who chose to make a suggestion. It would be interesting to find that this power was known to the Maoris.

Sir James Hector said the Plectognathi form an interesting group of fishes having some affinity to the sharks and rays, but having some solid bones, though no ribs. They are so named from the curious twisted conformation of the jaws. There are three groups—the globe-fish, the sun-fish (which is enormously large), and the leather-jackets. Globe-fish live on Crustacea, and have a habit of distending their bodies with air and expelling it forcibly with a hoarse noise. They are not edible, and are sometimes very poisonous if the gall or any of the viscera remain in the fish when cooked. Pison said the symptoms were impaired sensibility of the tongue, and rigid cramps, cold sweat, and death. Similar, though modified, symptoms are caused by the prick of the spines. Father Dutertre has described how this fish approaches the bait (a crab) with caution, tastes it, retires, returns, and swallows greedily; then blows its body up like a balloon, rears like a turkey-cock, wheels round and round, and becomes furious. It then has recourse to stratagem, lowers its spines, and allows itself to be drawn in, but the moment an attempt is made to secure it the fish suddenly resumes its dangerous activity. The Tetrodon is much smaller than the Diodon. It also inflates itself when tickled, and the boys on the wharves make a cruel sport by bursting them with a loud report. One species is very common in the Nile, spreads over the country during the inundations, and when decomposing becomes most dangerous. The Mussulmans inflate these fish, dry them, and then hang them in bunches from the pinnacles of the minarets of their mosques. The Japanese hold one species in high estimation as food, but they clean and prepare them with the greatest care; notwithstanding, the epicures often fall victims, and die in two hours. When not well cleaned they are so deadly as to be used by suicides. There is a plant named Rex amarois, which is said to be an antidote to the poison, but anise greatly increases its virulence. One species has electric organs, and gives off smart shocks when touched.

Mr. Hustwick said it was not generally accepted that cyanogen alone was a solvent for gold, and that, though the Cassel Company claimed the sole use of cyanogen and its compounds, they virtually abandoned the claim to cyanogen alone, because their specification required it to be used in the presence of an alkali.